Book review: AC/DC In Full Flight – by Alan Perry

This 128 page, A4-landscape coffee table tome documents the Aussie rockers during the years 1978-82. Photographed by Alan Perry – and with his own comments putting the gigs in context – this becomes an important pictorial record of late-Bon Scott era, early Brian Johnson. And of course given more poignancy by Johnson’s recent exit due to hearing difficulties and Cliff Williams’ retirement leaving Angus Young the last man standing.

The photographs are linked by both the photographer’s narrative and appropriate quotations from contemporaneous music mags plus the ubiquitous ticket stubs and associated memorabilia. A comprehensive list of AC/DC gigs in the UK, at least during the “formative” years, would have been a useful addition.

The gigs covered include Wembley, August 1979, and the Monsters of Rock, Donington in August 1981. The introduction makes reference to the band’s rise and rise in the late-1970s and maybe someone somewhere has more material from the smaller venues. Only Coventry Theatre is represented here, but by late-1978 the band were already on the cusp of bigger things.

This was the pre-digital age and Parker has evidently worked in a number of challenging conditions. In some cases he uses a 500mm lens at a distance, whilst in others he drops his 300mm lens on a concrete floor To his credit, the pictures are remarkably consistent and of excellent quality and they do perfectly capture the moment and the era.

This is a limited (500) “flight case” package which includes a cover photo poster, postcards and assorted quality prints.

The book opens up the prospect of similar accounts for other bands. In the meantime, AC/DC diehards will want to investigate this and, at the same time, their current overdraft facility. ****

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

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